The proliferation of electronic office systems has created a need for exchanging and storing information. Electronic mail (e-mail) and other types of electronic messages are becoming extremely popular. E-mail networks permit networks of communicating users to transmit information from one user to another. This has led to the widespread use of electronic messages to share ideas, transmit documents, schedule meetings, and perform a multitude of other everyday tasks.
These tasks may be accomplished by a variety of software programs. For example, e-mail programs facilitate the transmission of messages between users. Messaging-enabled scheduling programs allow users to request and schedule meetings and appointments via electronic messages. In addition, computer programs such as desktop information managers coordinate the growing stream of electronic communications by incorporating e-mail, calendaring, task management, contact management, notes, and journal features into a single application program.
However, as data management systems grow more complex, more users interact with them, and issues such as performance, data integrity, workload management, batch processing, efficiency and continuous availability arise. Many systems on the market today can only handle small numbers of users simultaneously, offer little or no expansion capabilities, and frequently require manual intervention to process data through the system.
Users of data management systems often need to be reminded and apprised of approaching deadlines and other events. To keep these users informed, data management personnel typically check the data management system everyday and build lists of data items needed by the system users. Then, the data management personnel compile the data items into reports and send the reports to designated recipients, such as employees, or clients.
In view of the foregoing, what is needed are improved systems for getting the proper information (such as deadline information, competed action information, etc.) to the proper recipients. The system should be highly automated to decrease human error. Furthermore, the system should intelligently evaluate the data in a database and only forward desired data to authorized recipients. Moreover, the system preferably utilizes a fast delivery system, such as email.